Table 2 Characteristics of brothels in major red light areas

Mumbai

   • Mumbai generates at least $400 million/year in revenue from the estimated 100,000 women/girls serving an average of 6 customers per day; it is also a centre for pedophiles

   • Minors (10–14) trafficked for CSE are often kept in cage-like confinements

   • Criminal nexus in trafficking is visible

   • Kamathipura is the largest brothel area with 20,000 women and girls working in prostitution

Delhi

   • More than 20,000 women/girls of different age/groups (many 12–13 years) in 3,000 red light areas.

   • 90 brothels at G.B. Road alone with an estimated 4,000 prostitutes

   • Majority are kept in slave-like conditions whereby brothel owners take victims' earnings until repayment of the price at which they were bought, which takes 4–8 years

Kolkata

   • 29 red light areas, including Sonagachi, Kidderpore, Kalighat, Rambagan, Bowbaza

   • Sonagachi has been in existence for at least 150 years. It has 4,000–6,000 sex workers working in 370 brothels servicing about 20,000 clients a day

   • Many brothels consist of several rooms divided by curtains into booths, each with a bed.

   • Transit point for many girls who are 'initiated' into the business before being resold to other brothels

Goa

   • The state for sex tourism and pedophiles (Indians and foreigners)

   • Red Light areas are smaller than in Kolkota or Mumbai but share many of the same characteristics.

   • Baina has about 3,000 prostitutes.

   • Most women are debt-bonded and released after 2–3 years receiving only 20% of their income.